Prison board considers hiring cost containment firm

Carbon's medical bill rose to $143,110 after inmates' heart attacks.

Carbon County Prison Board will consider a proposal to help curtail the jail's health care costs, which spiked this year after two inmates suffered heart attacks.

Representatives from the Public Institution Medical Cost Containment, a medical cost management company in Harrisburg, made its pitch before the prison board on Wednesday to negotiate the prison's contracts and itemized bills with health care providers.

The company, which is affiliated with the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, negotiates contracts and itemized bills for 22 county prisons throughout the state, helping counties contain prison health costs.

Carbon County budgeted $50,000 for inmates' medical expenses for 2004. But two inmates were rushed to area hospitals this year after suffering heart attacks, the cost of their care bringing health care spending at the prison through October to $143,110.

That forced county commissioners to transfer $100,000 into the prison budget to cover the balance and scramble for solutions in the event of a similar occurence.

Hospital expenses and physician services at the prison have averaged $49,000 annually since 1996, and Commissioner Chairman William O'Gurek questioned the wisdom of hiring the cost management company at $18,000 per year to work on a $50,000 annual budget.

Although hospital bills are discounted, sometimes as much as 40 percent, O'Gurek acknowledged there is little negotiation by the county to reduce hospital bills, something that would come in handy in the event of another major inmate health issue.

"I'm curious," O'Gurek said.

Warden William Juracka also expressed concern that other serious health issues among inmates could arise in the future, and suggested it would be in the board's best interest to hire the cost management company for one year.

"If they can do everything they say they can, then it may be worth a shot to see how it goes," said Juracka, who said he felt "personally responsible" for the additional cost incurred this year by taxpayers.

"I know it was something that was outside my control, but that's how I feel," said Juracka, who added that this was the first time in his 16 years as warden that any inmate has suffered a heart attack.

Juracka said he wanted to ensure that the county be financially prepared to handle similar, albeit rare, occurrences.

"You just can't predict these things," Juracka said.

The cost management company will send the board complete figures on estimated savings, and O'Gurek said the board is expected to make a decision during its November meeting.